South Korea

Thousands mourn suicide of former South Korean president

Article published on the 2009-05-24 Latest update 2009-05-24 11:37 TU

Mourners at Roh Moon-hyun's funeral service, 24 May 2009
(Photo: Reuters)

Thousands of South Koreans paid their respects Sunday to former President Roh Moo-hyun to pay their respects who apparently committed suicide Saturday by leaping off a mountain. Mourners came to his home village of Bongha in Gimhae city. Roh was under investigation for corruption, and left a suicide note on his computer.

"Life and death are all parts of nature," Roh wrote in his note. "Don't lay any blame. It's fate."

Flags flew at half-mast in South Korea, and world leaders offered their condolences. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who served as Roh’s foreign minister, said in a statement that he was “shocked and deeply saddened" by Roh’s death.

Roh, a former human-rights lawyer, was President of South Korea from 2003 to 2008. He is the third former South Korean leader to be investigated for corruption.

But RFI’s correspondent Eban Ramstad in Seoul says that Roh was known for running a relatively un-corrupt administration.

“The reason that President Noh stood out from other South Korean presidents however, was that he ran a very clean administration, in comparison to the three presidents that came before him,” he said. “He had relatively few scandals involving aids during his time in office. It seems to be that he left office himself personally scandal free.”

But in April, a probe was opened into a payment of a million dollars from Park Yeon-cha, the former CEO of the Taekwang shoe company, to Roh’s wife, and five million dollars to one of his niece’s husband. Roh had not admitted he was personally involved.

Prosecutors were set to announce a decision on whether or not Roh would be arrested next week.

Justice Minister Kim Kyung-han said Roh's sudden death will end the investigation.

Ramstad says that Roh’s death has shocked the country deeply, and may well divide the country.

“One of the striking characteristics about South Korea is that instantly the country, in almost any type of incident, polarises into political lines,” he explained.

Already some are criticising Roh, saying he should have faced the investigation.

"That the lawyer-turned-president has chosen such an extreme way in the face of questioning leaves something to be desired," said an editorial in the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper.

There has been no formal confirmation that Roh’s death was in fact a suicide.